Anyway, I was lamenting the unlit spire, turned the corner to stand in front of the temple...and it was lit!
I missed it! (Face it folks, I am old and there aren't too many thrills left in my life!)
After arriving home, I laundered, cleaned, vacuumed, scrubbed, weeded, trimmed, dehydrated (basil), harvested (key limes), made eggs for breakfast, a pretty awesome Caprise salad for lunch and was on the way to making hot and sour soup and fried rice for dinner...
When the phone rang. It was a sweet hi on the other end. My boys sound so much alike on the phone, that I thought it was Nathan and said something about falling through the ice. It was Doran (no wonder he seemed a bit confused at what I was saying). Amber was at the hospital in terrible pain, possibly gall bladder. I finished dinner, cleaned up, packed, and then headed down to their house.
Drove past the Cardinals stadium where the Super Bowl with be played on Sunday. It was lit up and there was so much going on! Crazy.
I got to Doran's, walked down the street to Callie's house to get the kids, walked back and searched for the extra key, and finally got in.
Kooper played, Kelsie made a snack, I did a few dishes, Kooper removed every single sandwich bag from the box, I shoved them back. It was nearly bedtime for Kelsie when Amber came in. There were no gall bladder problems and her pain was better.
So thankful!!!
I headed home in a drizzling rain, and the guys were watching some very old John Wayne movie, so I headed to bed.
Tuesday - Another early run this morning. This time, I made sure I didn't take my eyes off that spire.
And
I saw it turn on. Not nearly as dramatic as I had imagined, but still great.
Got home, squeezed umpteen key limes, made an awesome breakfast, cleaned, made a bank deposit, did a little shopping at WalMart, forgot that Nano was coming over....
oops...
Sorry mom...and thank you Scott for the kindly reminder.
Haystacks for dinner, Dee and Morgan went to a ward members house to do some repairs, our home teachers came and that ended the day.
Wednesday - I did some exercises and got ready to make the 6 am temple session. Nicest way to start the day! then home to clean, do laundry
Thursday- I exercised, jogged, and got ready for another first of the day temple session. I hurried home, changed, did a load of laundry and then left to meet Dorrie. We checked out a new store...a restaurant supply but open to the public kind of store on the order of Smart and Final. It was great and Dee and I are going there some time. Home again to clean while Kayty and Morgan watched some Monkey movie...Planet of the Apes. I cooked, Dee went to a late afternoon temple session when rain again delayed his truck fender painting, and I went over to help with two other sisters to clean a house for someone whose husband has been very ill.
Friday - This day started pretty typically, though rain falling eliminated outdoor running. I exercised, ran to the grocery store, woke Dee up...and Kayty up. Started cleaning when my visiting teachers cancelled their visit. Nano came by for a nice visit. Morgan and Dad got into a discussion where it was shared with me the many failings I have as a parent: the unfairness of situations and how I did not treat equally everyone. I have learned from the inspiration I receive from going to the temple that raised voices and contention are never the Lord's way, so I remained peaceful and calm, while being torn to bits inside.
Just to let you all know: I never meant to make mistakes in raising you. We came from two non member upbringings and little training, so we tried out best, and as we recognized we were making an error, we tried to correct. We did not wake up and decide to ruin your lives. We just did our best, repented for our mistakes, learned from the Lord's patient guidance, and loved you. While I could not be equal, I tried to be fair. I tried to let you develop talents. I tried to be supportive in your endeavors. I didn't mean to make you labor while others were sitting inside watching tv. I really didn't. Most often, we were just in a difficult situation and we were doing our best to just get through it. This really isn't helping, so just know, we really were trying to do our best. That's it.
Though I felt like getting in a car and going to an unknown location never to be found, I cleaned, and cooked, stacked logs, shared the Spanish rice making method with Nathan, and read my scriptures and prayed.
And...
Received the most wonderful text hug via Gracie!
Saturday - I woke, took a short jog, got ready and headed to the temple for the first session. What a glorious way to begin a day! It was cool and moist and cloudy outside: my favorite kind of day! After getting home, Dee ran some errands and I got ready ...and then he got ready for our monthly stake eight year old baptism. Two beautiful and very excited little girls made the choice to be baptized. Talia Belle and Bella. I love seeing eight year olds so excited about being baptized! Talia told me that she could hardly sleep the night before! And, as Dee conducted the meeting, he shared that this day, January 31st was the 40th anniversary of his baptism when he was 17 years old.
We waded through Winco (everyone apparently eats at Super Bowl time as well), and I made Dee some of his favorite clam chowder, in a sour dough bread bowl (purchased). Oh, the smell brought back so many wonderful memories of Monterey Pier and that yummy clam chowder! I also made chicken stroganoff for Morgan and Kayty to eat.
I vacuumed, cleaned and laundered the baptismal clothing, Dee worked in the yard and garden. We ran errands to return the clothing (and pick up another baptismal suit the missionaries had left from a later baptism), get some bread, and home.
Sunday - Sunday...my day of rest...or so I thought. Yes, I did sleep in, and woke up to some rare and beautiful fog.
I did take a pic...but it's just too much work to get it on here. I don't take too many pics anymore. My cell phone pics dont send to my email and, really, who wants to see boring pics of me working. Not much happens that is very exciting here.
Dad and Morgan discussed situations and, of course, again, every unfairness, mistake, error, or wrong we had ever done as parents was shared. Quiet tones did prevail, but Morgan left...
We attended a wonderful Fast and Testimony meeting at church, and had great lessons the rest of the day. I came home, since choir was cancelled, to an invite from Cameo to come over for dinner. Normally, I would have...but with days and days of this stuff, I am emotionally spent and I was not good company for anyone. Dad called and had Morgan with him...
--> They came home and we made Chinese and I ate salad.
In relief Society, we discussed prayer, and praying always. I have always found that to be a "no Brainer" for I truly have always relied on prayer, before any discussion with my kids, before decisions that I made. I looked to the resources we had available: local leaders, other parents that we felt good about and admired, and prayer. Praying always has been a total part of my life. Now that I attend the temple more often, I always have a prayer in the Celestial Room, for guidance to do what the Lord would have me do, and to discern what HE wants and not what I want. Parenting is longsuffering...Literally, my heart aches today, and I only want to do what will assist Heavenly FAther in His work.
Not easy...
Not logical...
Not even explainable.
His Will...not mine. I perhaps was not so good at discerning that when my kids were little, but as I did more and more, it became clearer and clearer. I have been emotionally beaten over and over this week, though today, I am just more resigned to it, rather than even upset by it.
I did my best then. I am trying even harder to do my best now.
That's it.
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